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By Tak Landrock t.landrock@krdo.comFollow me on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/taklandrockCOLORADO SPRINGS – Members of city council have been taking heat over the growing homeless tent city near downtown Colorado Springs. Some say it’s becoming an eyesore in the community and will have far reaching effects on tourism and creating jobs.More than 150 people, along with about 15 members of the homeless community met Monday to discuss how to help those in need. It was a way to express concerns about the homeless camps and to address concerns for the proposed no camping ordinance, which will be voted on by council in February.If approved,the ordinancewould mean those camped out near Fountain Creek, reaching about 100 people, would be forced out. The question is, where would they go?
“This would not be a jailable offense,” says Officer McCormack with Colorado Springs Police. He says the ordinance would give a person 48-hours to move out. He told the crowd that it would take a lot of work from members of the community, working together. “This won’t happen overnight.”
The biggest concern is whether or not the city can be sued for violating the rights of the homeless, if they’re kicked out. “We are all on the same side, we are trying to solve a problem,” says Steve Saint, with the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission.
Saint, along with the A.C.L.U are looking at ways to help the city and those in the homeless camps.
Since the camps began to grow, police tell NEWSCHANNEL 13 drugs, crime and violence has increased. It’s also becoming a health hazard “we have sanitation conditions, there are too many donations and we had some set on fire,” says Officer McCormick.
Members of the community were broken up in several groups to come up with ideas, productive talk with very little time to take action.”If you go down to homeless camps, they are segregated with different communities: different ages, backgrounds. Some are outlaws and others aren’t,” says Colorado Springs Fire Captain Mike Wittery.
He along with other firefighters have been working with the homeless to help with any campfires at the site. He gave many in the community an eye-opening look at how the homeless live.
“Some of the folks I talked with say they’re here because they heard Colorado Springs is the place to come,” says Wittery. He also told members of his table there is a hierarchy in the camps and a leader who decides who is allowed in and who stays out.
Janice Hueburger, who filed a complaint with the Environmental Protection Agency, tells NEWSCHANNEL 13 the biggest problem is that the homeless don’t trust government agencies. She gave an example of 2-1-1, which is run by the United Way. “When the homeless hear ‘United Way,’ they hang up.” She suggests getting all agencies in one place, without a name until you can build trust.
